CVE-2022-4012 in Hospital Management Center
Summary
by MITRE • 11/16/2022
A vulnerability classified as critical has been found in Hospital Management Center. Affected is an unknown function of the file patient-info.php. The manipulation of the argument pt_id leads to sql injection. It is possible to launch the attack remotely. The exploit has been disclosed to the public and may be used. VDB-213786 is the identifier assigned to this vulnerability.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/19/2022
This critical sql injection vulnerability exists within the Hospital Management Center software platform, specifically affecting the patient-info.php file where an unvalidated pt_id parameter is processed. The vulnerability stems from inadequate input sanitization and validation mechanisms that allow malicious actors to inject arbitrary sql commands through the pt_id argument. This flaw represents a classic sql injection attack vector where user-supplied data is directly incorporated into sql query construction without proper escaping or parameterization. The vulnerability has been publicly disclosed and is actively being exploited, making it a significant threat to healthcare data systems. The remote attack capability means that threat actors can exploit this vulnerability from external networks without requiring physical access to the target system, potentially compromising sensitive patient information.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves the improper handling of user input within the patient information retrieval functionality. When a user provides a pt_id value through the patient-info.php endpoint, the application fails to properly validate or sanitize this input before incorporating it into database queries. This allows attackers to craft malicious pt_id values containing sql payload sequences that can manipulate the underlying database operations. The vulnerability is classified as remote due to the web-based nature of the interface, enabling exploitation through standard http requests. The attack chain typically involves sending crafted requests with malicious pt_id parameters that can result in unauthorized data access, data modification, or complete database compromise. This represents a fundamental failure in input validation and query construction practices that violates secure coding principles.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data theft to encompass potential system compromise and regulatory violations. Healthcare organizations using affected systems face significant risks including unauthorized access to protected health information, which could lead to compliance violations under regulations such as hipaa. The exposure of patient data through sql injection attacks can result in identity theft, medical fraud, and other criminal activities. Additionally, the vulnerability may enable attackers to escalate privileges within the database, potentially allowing them to execute administrative commands or access other system components. Organizations may also face reputational damage, regulatory penalties, and legal consequences from data breaches resulting from this vulnerability. The public disclosure of the exploit increases the likelihood of widespread exploitation across multiple installations.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability must address both immediate remediation and long-term security improvements. Organizations should implement proper input validation and parameterized queries to prevent sql injection attacks, ensuring that all user inputs are properly sanitized before database processing. The immediate fix involves updating the patient-info.php file to use prepared statements or parameterized queries, which separate sql code from data. Network-level protections such as web application firewalls and intrusion detection systems can provide additional defense layers. Regular security assessments and code reviews should be implemented to identify similar vulnerabilities in other application components. Access controls and least privilege principles should be enforced to limit potential damage from successful attacks. Organizations should also maintain up-to-date security patches for the Hospital Management Center software and implement monitoring to detect unusual database access patterns. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-89 sql injection and can be mapped to ATT&CK technique T1190 for exploiting vulnerabilities in web applications, highlighting the need for comprehensive security measures that address both prevention and detection capabilities.